Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS)

EPAS provides a platform for intergovernmental sports co-operation between the public authorities of its member states. It also encourages dialogue between public authorities, sports federations and NGOs. This contributes to better governance, with the aim of making sport more ethical, more inclusive and safer.

EPAS aims to promote the development of any sport whose benefits are wide-reaching. It develops policies and standards, monitors them and helps with capacity-building and the exchange of good practices.

Different recommendations initially prepared by EPAS have been adopted by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on issues of sports ethics, the autonomy of the sports movement, and the protection of young athletes from dangers associated with migration. Older recommendations such as the European Sports Charter are regularly monitored via consultative visits in member states. The Recommendation on the promotion of good governance in sport is the most recent and was adopted on 12 December 2018. Work is currently underway to draft another new recommendation on extreme martial arts and combat activities.